1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a machining robot using a laser beam for machining, and, in particular, to a laser beam machining robot having a multi-joint arm assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A laser beam machining robot having a multi-joint arm assembly is well known in the art. In a typical prior art robot, the multi-joint arm assembly has a base, which is rotatably mounted on the robot main body, and a laser nozzle mounted at the distal end of the multi-joint arm assembly for emitting a laser beam guided along the multi-joint arm assembly from a laser source toward a workpiece. The laser nozzle can be oriented in any desired direction and thus the laser beam emitted from the laser nozzle can be directed in any desired direction.
However, in the prior art laser machining robot, use is made of a complicated optical system for guiding the laser beam emitted from a laser beam source to the laser nozzle along the multi-joint arm assembly. Thus, the prior art laser machining robot having a multi-joint arm assembly is rather expensive, limited in operating range, and difficult to repair and maintain. Therefore, there has been a need to develop a novel laser beam machining robot having a multi-joint arm.